Today I ordered the Sole F85 treadmill. I had to take this step. With my life and routine, it is very hard for me to find the time to go to the gym for a run. The effort required to manage the gym bag is an extra hindrance. Now I will have this machine in my house. And I promise myself that I will not let it go waste.
Right now with my height of 5'8" and a weight of 195lb my BMI is 29.64, which is bordering on obesity. My goal by the end of the year is to get my weight to 175lb. This will give me a BMI of 26.6. I will still be in the overweight category but much better than what I am now.
Next year I will run a full marathon. By the time I run the marathon I will be 165lb, which is a BMI of 25.08, a tad above the 18.5 - 24.9 range recommended for my height.
I will start with a routine of 30 minute runs and try to do 2 - 2.5 miles for the first month. I will run everyday. Once I register a weight of less than 190lb at home I will move to 3 mile runs. Also I will go to the gym 2-3 times a week for weight training.
I cannot fail. I will not fail.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Keeping spirits high
What a difference a few years can make.
A few short years back I was so different that it feels that I have been reborn. Is it too early for a mid-life crisis? Well, its not really a crisis. But I have morphed into a new entity and I have to rediscover my new self. Who am I? What am I about? Where am I headed?
I spent 2007 wandering about aimlessly. Will 2008 be any different? I guess its up to me to bring about the change. The first challenge is obviously to find a set goals that I believe in. But a bigger challenge is to keep myself motivated in the face of changing priorities, stress at work and lethargy in general.
This weekend I saw the movie Peaceful Warrior. Did Socrates find Dan or did Dan find Socrates. I think it was the latter. How lucky are those who find a teacher to guide them through the maze of life. I remember the time that Prof. Khastgir was my guide. I learned so much from him. But he is no more and I am half a world away from where I was then. So I have to be my own guide and keep myself focused on my goals.
If the goal is a worthy one and the effort sincere then the experience is bound to be happy and fulfilling. Its not the destination, its the journey.
A few short years back I was so different that it feels that I have been reborn. Is it too early for a mid-life crisis? Well, its not really a crisis. But I have morphed into a new entity and I have to rediscover my new self. Who am I? What am I about? Where am I headed?
I spent 2007 wandering about aimlessly. Will 2008 be any different? I guess its up to me to bring about the change. The first challenge is obviously to find a set goals that I believe in. But a bigger challenge is to keep myself motivated in the face of changing priorities, stress at work and lethargy in general.
This weekend I saw the movie Peaceful Warrior. Did Socrates find Dan or did Dan find Socrates. I think it was the latter. How lucky are those who find a teacher to guide them through the maze of life. I remember the time that Prof. Khastgir was my guide. I learned so much from him. But he is no more and I am half a world away from where I was then. So I have to be my own guide and keep myself focused on my goals.
If the goal is a worthy one and the effort sincere then the experience is bound to be happy and fulfilling. Its not the destination, its the journey.
Friday, December 28, 2007
2008
A new year is around the corner and I am all dreamy eyed. A new year is like a promise, a clean slate. For as long as I can remember, I have always carried this optimism and hope with me. Personally, 2007 has been a great year. I think God with all my heart for that. I made good, solid progress on all fronts. My brother got married in January and the trip home was really nice. Although we had to travel a lot, I have very fond memories from this trip.
In June I was able to take advantage of the respite offered by the USCIS and file for the final state of my GC. It would go a long way in giving me the freedom I need to grow professionally. It is strange how my perspective has changed in this regard. I am not sure how or when this happened, but I had come to seek and love a life that was scripted and had no surprises. So I lived the past few years of my life in a monotony that needed to be broken. 2007 was a start. I hope that 2008 will bring in more change.
Finally in November I applied for the MBA program. At the time when I decided I did not realize how life changing that decision would be. I started off by concentrating on the GMAT and it was only after started working on the personal essays that I realized how little thought I had given to my career, and my life in general.
The monotony in my professional experience became clear to me when I started working on my essays. I don't think of this as a drawback though. I was in phase where I needed the stability. Now that I have untangled all the webs I can move ahead.
A few dreams from 2007 remain unfulfilled.
1. I was not able to read as much I would liked.
2. I could not achieve the fitness goals I had set for myself.
3. My network of friends is still limited.
I will work on these in the new year. I wish all my near & dear ones joy, peace and fulfillment in 2008.
In June I was able to take advantage of the respite offered by the USCIS and file for the final state of my GC. It would go a long way in giving me the freedom I need to grow professionally. It is strange how my perspective has changed in this regard. I am not sure how or when this happened, but I had come to seek and love a life that was scripted and had no surprises. So I lived the past few years of my life in a monotony that needed to be broken. 2007 was a start. I hope that 2008 will bring in more change.
Finally in November I applied for the MBA program. At the time when I decided I did not realize how life changing that decision would be. I started off by concentrating on the GMAT and it was only after started working on the personal essays that I realized how little thought I had given to my career, and my life in general.
The monotony in my professional experience became clear to me when I started working on my essays. I don't think of this as a drawback though. I was in phase where I needed the stability. Now that I have untangled all the webs I can move ahead.
A few dreams from 2007 remain unfulfilled.
1. I was not able to read as much I would liked.
2. I could not achieve the fitness goals I had set for myself.
3. My network of friends is still limited.
I will work on these in the new year. I wish all my near & dear ones joy, peace and fulfillment in 2008.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Run for your life
After many years I am running again. Before this current streak I had tried a number of times to get back on the treadmill but somehow it never stuck. This time it looks like I might be able to sustain it. This month I have run more than 30 miles and the amazing thing is that I am able to do 3mi runs. I know that because of my weight I should not run at more than 5 miles/hour (my father-in-law told me that). However I am able to compensate for that by running for 40mins.
Here is the plan for Dec:
- Run 4 days a week.
- 3 runs of 40 mins
- 1 run of 45 mins
- > 45 miles distance
I read somewhere that in order to lose 1 lb you need to burn 3500 calories. Depending on which machine I run on, my 3 mi run burns 350 - 500 calories (yes, it's that different, and why I prefer to run on the Nordic Track machine). So in order to lose a pound I need 7 - 10 runs. I can hope to lose maybe 2 pounds per month. But that should be good enough. My immediate plan is to see myself below the 180 lb pound mark.
Here is the plan for Dec:
- Run 4 days a week.
- 3 runs of 40 mins
- 1 run of 45 mins
- > 45 miles distance
I read somewhere that in order to lose 1 lb you need to burn 3500 calories. Depending on which machine I run on, my 3 mi run burns 350 - 500 calories (yes, it's that different, and why I prefer to run on the Nordic Track machine). So in order to lose a pound I need 7 - 10 runs. I can hope to lose maybe 2 pounds per month. But that should be good enough. My immediate plan is to see myself below the 180 lb pound mark.
Friday, November 9, 2007
A new plan...
A new plan is taking shape in my brain. It goes like this: as much as I love my company, I am unlikely to see any career progression here. I have do the 'Z' move. The idea behind this move is to move laterally into a role that is close to your target position. After being in this position for some time, say a year or so, move to another company, negotiating a higher position. The reason why this move makes sense is that a lateral move allows you to step back, sort of dis-engage, from your work and gain experience in another area. The experience is important because your target is really a position at another company, a position at a higher level than what you have. Your current employer is unlikely to promote you within a year. However hard work and solid experience will allow you to get identified by other companies.
My plan is to execute 3 'Z' moves in the next 6 years. So far, my employment has been very steady and so at the end of this plan, I would have worked for 5 companies in 16 years which is not bad at all. Unfortunately this strategy requires me to focus on my target position rather than the one I currently have, but I think I can manage to make it a fair balance.
In order to complete this mission I need an EAD. My plan is to file this next week, i.e. 11/12/2007.
My plan is to execute 3 'Z' moves in the next 6 years. So far, my employment has been very steady and so at the end of this plan, I would have worked for 5 companies in 16 years which is not bad at all. Unfortunately this strategy requires me to focus on my target position rather than the one I currently have, but I think I can manage to make it a fair balance.
In order to complete this mission I need an EAD. My plan is to file this next week, i.e. 11/12/2007.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Beautiful minds
A friend of mine who is doing his MBA from The Rotman School of Business came down from Toronto last weekend. We have a bunch of us batchmates from IT BHU here in NorCal and we decided to get together for dinner. Six of us turned up. Another friend who is in the GSB Chicago MBA program was there.
At the dinner the conversation between the two MBA students was both brilliant and intriguing.
It was brilliant because they were talking about their experiences from the MBA programs. Give or take a few minor details their experiences were mostly the same. They were both very excited and very aware of things. Their conversation was replete with MBA jargon. It was really a pleasure to watch them. We all agree that life had become monotonous. Yet here were these two guys who seemed recharged.
But the conversation was also intriguing. Although these guys were excited and energized, they weren't really sure what they wanted to do with their new found knowledge. They seemed like little kids, excited with every new toy they got. Every semester there was a new subject, a new experience, a new toy.
There was also some conversation about why one should do an MBA. There were two us, including me, who are applying this year. There was a guy who had recently bought a house and so cannot afford an MBA and another who is finding it hard to come up with a reason for why he needs an MBA.
I am going through the motions of an application process. One thing I realized talking to the MBA guys is that MBA is not really the launch, rather its a launching pad. The real work starts after the MBA finishes. However MBAs have an intense coursework and one needs to compromise on a number of things. People talk about sleepless nights etc. but I think what gets hit the hardest is the family. Its all the more difficult if you have a kid and more so if your spouse is working or studying. Whether full time or part time, MBA will keep you away from your family. Like I said, that's just the beginning. If you really want to crank it up, the action starts after the MBA. But most families have an expectation that its a matter of 2 or 3 years before their beloved will be back with them.
The point I am trying to make is that to me makes sense to think of life and career long term. Its like running a marathon. If you run hard at the start you will tire yourself out and perhaps lose. This is one reason why I am not considering a full time MBA, nor any program that requires me to fly out on Fridays and miss spending that evening with my family. While in the MBA program I don't want to drift too far away from my family.
I saw that my friends are facing this problem. Family always comes first. If I went to the best MBA program and missed spending time with my son, whom I love beyond words, it would be worth nothing to me. That's who I am.
At the dinner the conversation between the two MBA students was both brilliant and intriguing.
It was brilliant because they were talking about their experiences from the MBA programs. Give or take a few minor details their experiences were mostly the same. They were both very excited and very aware of things. Their conversation was replete with MBA jargon. It was really a pleasure to watch them. We all agree that life had become monotonous. Yet here were these two guys who seemed recharged.
But the conversation was also intriguing. Although these guys were excited and energized, they weren't really sure what they wanted to do with their new found knowledge. They seemed like little kids, excited with every new toy they got. Every semester there was a new subject, a new experience, a new toy.
There was also some conversation about why one should do an MBA. There were two us, including me, who are applying this year. There was a guy who had recently bought a house and so cannot afford an MBA and another who is finding it hard to come up with a reason for why he needs an MBA.
I am going through the motions of an application process. One thing I realized talking to the MBA guys is that MBA is not really the launch, rather its a launching pad. The real work starts after the MBA finishes. However MBAs have an intense coursework and one needs to compromise on a number of things. People talk about sleepless nights etc. but I think what gets hit the hardest is the family. Its all the more difficult if you have a kid and more so if your spouse is working or studying. Whether full time or part time, MBA will keep you away from your family. Like I said, that's just the beginning. If you really want to crank it up, the action starts after the MBA. But most families have an expectation that its a matter of 2 or 3 years before their beloved will be back with them.
The point I am trying to make is that to me makes sense to think of life and career long term. Its like running a marathon. If you run hard at the start you will tire yourself out and perhaps lose. This is one reason why I am not considering a full time MBA, nor any program that requires me to fly out on Fridays and miss spending that evening with my family. While in the MBA program I don't want to drift too far away from my family.
I saw that my friends are facing this problem. Family always comes first. If I went to the best MBA program and missed spending time with my son, whom I love beyond words, it would be worth nothing to me. That's who I am.
Hats off to a star
Yesterday I came across the music of Saawariya. This is the new movie by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. I had read on many forums that the music was good, so I wanted to give it a listen. It is a habit of mine to try and identify the singer while listening to a song for the first time. I am able to recognize a lot of voices. Perhaps a small gift I have :-) Anyway, the first song I heard was "Jab Se Tere Naina" sung by Shaan. Hands down this is my favorite song in this compilation.
Then I moved on to the title track, "Saawariya". I could not recognize the voice, though it sounded very familiar. I looked up the album, and it said Shail Hada. I could not believe my eyes. My friend, my brother Shailendra Singh Hada had made it big. I am so so happy for him, I just can't find the right collection of words to describe how I feel. We grew up together in Kota. We went to the same school, St. Paul's, Kota. I often went to his house to hear him sing. We spent a lot of time together.
I went on to engineering college and he moved to Mumbai to find his place in Bollywood-land. When I started working in Mumbai I met him again. He was living with his brother. Seeing him survive in a "chawl", struggling to find work, made my heart ache. I could not see him that way. I have always known that he has a magic voice. I still have the album he compiled specially for me. But I tried to get him to join college and take studies seriously. In an industry where work comes with connections, I worried for him.
After I came to the US I lost touch with him. As God is my witness, I tried looking him up on the internet a number of times. He had told me that he was going to change his name to Kumar Shail. Anyhow, I am ecstatic that he has found success. All those glowing comments he has received for his rendition are all well deserved. And no doubt that he will now find more work, and more success.
I guess a lot of people will now surface that will claim to be his friends. I would really like to get in touch with him, if only once, to tell him how unbelievably happy I am. Regardless of whether I get that chance or not hats off to a star.
Then I moved on to the title track, "Saawariya". I could not recognize the voice, though it sounded very familiar. I looked up the album, and it said Shail Hada. I could not believe my eyes. My friend, my brother Shailendra Singh Hada had made it big. I am so so happy for him, I just can't find the right collection of words to describe how I feel. We grew up together in Kota. We went to the same school, St. Paul's, Kota. I often went to his house to hear him sing. We spent a lot of time together.
I went on to engineering college and he moved to Mumbai to find his place in Bollywood-land. When I started working in Mumbai I met him again. He was living with his brother. Seeing him survive in a "chawl", struggling to find work, made my heart ache. I could not see him that way. I have always known that he has a magic voice. I still have the album he compiled specially for me. But I tried to get him to join college and take studies seriously. In an industry where work comes with connections, I worried for him.
After I came to the US I lost touch with him. As God is my witness, I tried looking him up on the internet a number of times. He had told me that he was going to change his name to Kumar Shail. Anyhow, I am ecstatic that he has found success. All those glowing comments he has received for his rendition are all well deserved. And no doubt that he will now find more work, and more success.
I guess a lot of people will now surface that will claim to be his friends. I would really like to get in touch with him, if only once, to tell him how unbelievably happy I am. Regardless of whether I get that chance or not hats off to a star.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)